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American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets,
2007
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Sociology is a broad and diverse field bound by a fundamental insight that the social
matters: our lives are affected not only by our individual characteristics but by our place
in the social world, not only by natural forces but by their social dimension. The
discipline uses multiple methods to answer questions about social processes and social
forces and their impact for individuals and institutions. Sociology’s mission is to advance
scholarship, and to teach, apply, and disseminate the discipline’s knowledge and
methods in order to build bridges to policy makers and an informed public. This
summary contains facts about sociology as a profession and a discipline. For additional
information see the figures and charts that follow this executive summary by clicking on
the section titles.
Impact of Scholarly Journals
Job Placement
The American Sociological Association
(ASA), the discipline’s national
professional society, publishes nine
scholarly journals. The American
Sociological Review (ASR), ASA’s
flagship journal, has a higher impact (or
citation score) than all other flagship
journals in social science fields.
There were 1,650 positions listed for PhDs
in the American Sociological Association’s
Job Bank in 2006. This is the highest
listing of jobs over the last decade. The
Job Bank is a voluntary listing and shows
only that portion of the job market that is
for sociology PhDs. Assistant professors
are the most frequently listed position.
Informing Publics
Labor Force Participation
Sociological research on topics about
social processes and institutions such as
social networks, markets, communities,
states, families, education, crime, health,
race, and volunteering informs the public,
the media, educators, officials, and policy
makers.
The vast majority of PhD sociologists in
the labor force were employed and
working their field. Only 1.3% of
sociologists were unemployed, and 4.4%
were working out-of-field. These figures
were slightly higher than some social
science disciplines and slightly lower than
others.
R&D Funding
As of 2004, sociologists received 277
million dollars in research and
development money, with steady
increases over the previous decade.
Merit Awards
Sociologists have received numerous
awards from prestigious scientific
societies.
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Faculty Salaries
In AY 2006/07, the average salary of
sociology faculty was $66,207, an annual
salary lower than other social science
faculty. The relatively low salaries of
sociologists can be explained partly by
variation in the age composition of the
social science disciplines. In spite of
Executive
Summary
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
these differences, sociologists appear to
be underpaid.
2004 for an average of 470 per year in
1990/91 to the current 598 in 2003/04.
Courses Taught
Reasoning for Majoring in Sociology
Faculty members in bachelor’s degreegranting departments in the U.S. teach
nearly 50,000 sociology courses in an
academic year. On average, sociology
departments require theory, research
methodology, and statistics courses as
part of the undergraduate curriculum.
Sociologists taught more courses per
faculty member than all but one social
science discipline.
Degrees Earned
Since 1990, the number of baccalaureate
degrees awarded in sociology has
increased by 70 percent from about
16,000 to about 27,000. Sociology majors
plan to go into careers in education, law,
medicine, politics, public administration,
social work, or business. More than 45
percent intend to go on to graduate or
professional school.
Over the last decade between 9,000 and
10,000 graduate students enrolled each
year in masters and PhD programs in
sociology departments. The number of
doctoral degrees awarded in sociology has
increased steadily from 1990 through
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Sociology majors are inspired by the
discipline’s mission and are strongly
attracted to sociological concepts. Almost
two-thirds of majors are “very satisfied”
with the quality of teaching; two-thirds
are very satisfied with their out-of-class
access to these teachers, and 7 out of 10
are very satisfied with the major.
Identification with The Field
Sociologists have a strong
positive identification with their
field. More than 43% of eligible
members voted in the last (2007)
ASA presidential election. The
American Sociological
Association, the discipline’s
national professional society, has
the highest rate of voter
participation among social
science disciplinary societies.
Interdisciplinary Studies
Along with a strong disciplinary
identification, sociologists work with
members of other disciplines to create
scientific breakthroughs and solutions of
social problems.
Executive
Summary
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets,
2007
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Sociology is a broad and diverse field bound by a fundamental insight that the social
matters: our lives are affected not only by our individual characteristics but by our place
in the social world, not only by natural forces but by their social dimension. Sociologists
address new and recurrent social problems by investigating the social processes that
bind and separate people as members of groups, networks, organizations, and
institutions. The discipline uses both quantitative and qualitative research methods to
answer questions about social processes and social forces and their impact for
individuals and institutions. Sociology’s mission is to advance scholarship, and to teach,
apply, and disseminate the discipline’s knowledge and methods in order to build bridges
to policy makers and an informed public. This summary contains important facts about
sociology as a profession and a discipline.
This statistical compendium is organized as a series of fact sheets formatted as individual
PDF documents. Users may display and print any these fact sheets by clicking on the
section titles listed below. The complete report, including the executive summary, is also
available as a single PDF document. Readers can put together their own booklets on the
health of the discipline by downloading selected fact sheets or by printing the complete
PDF document.
Impact of Sociological Journals
Courses Taught
Informing Publics
Degrees Earned
R&D Funding
Reasoning for Majoring in Sociology
Merit Awards
Satisfaction with the Sociology Major
Job Placement
Identification with the Field
Labor Force Participation
Interdisciplinary Studies
Faculty Salaries
Works Cited
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Introduction
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Publication in peer-reviewed journals is considered a fundamental indicator of scientific
productivity as well as an essential means of communicating findings to other scholars.
The Social Science Index (SSCI), the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) (Social Science
Edition) and other web-based products produced by ISI Thomson Scientific provide
useful information on citation patterns of various journals and measures of journal
impact and influence. The JCR Report also includes an Impact Score which is calculated
by totaling the number of citations a journal’s article received in the two previous years,
divided by the total number of articles the journal published during that period of time.
A comparison of impact factor scores across several of the top journals in social science
fields indicates that the American Sociological Review, the American Sociological
Association’s flagship journal, lead other professional societies’ flagship journals,
according to this measure.
ASA's American Sociological Review Scores Highest Impact Among Social Science Flagship Journals
(Impact Factor Score)
American Sociological
Review
2.9
American Political Science
Review
2.7
American Economic Review
1.7
American Historical Review
1.6
American Education
Research Journal
American Anthropologist
Source: Thomson Scientific, Journal Citation Reports,2004.
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
1.1
1.0
Impact of
Journals
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Sociological research on topics about social processes and institutions such as social
networks, markets, communities, state building, education, crime, health, race, and
volunteering informs the public, the media, educators, officials, and policy makers.
Articles in the major media and in Contexts, a sociology magazine for understanding
people in their social worlds (www.contextsmagazine.org), raise public awareness of
social issues and also inform and instruct the public on the meaning and importance of
sociology. Many study findings are counter-intuitive and they provide new knowledge in
the face of bias, prejudice, or taken-for-granted assumptions. Much of this research
comes from ASA's scholarly journals and is featured at Capitol Hill briefings, at
Government Workshops, and on Expert Panels and Commissions. Some examples of
this research follow.
Sociological Research Informs Many Publics
Buying Congress
Contrary to popular belief, big campaign contributions do not necessarily determine votes in the U.S.
Congress. Congressional action is more likely to be a function of public opinion, ideology, and party
affiliation (Burstein).
Counter Insurgency
Counter insurgency is a from of contentious struggle to gain the "hearts and minds of populations" in order
to gain control of the state (Roxborough).
Education and Values
Despite widespread beliefs that U.S. schools no longer teach values, values permeate the primary school
classrooms and school life (Brint).
Family Matters
Getting married can help alleviate depression (Frech and Williams).
Day Care Centers are the safest childcare option because they afford multiple forms of protection (Wrigley).
Mothers today spend more hours per week with their children than mothers of previous generations
(Bianchi, Robinson, and Milkie).
How Markets Work
In the reproductive market place sperm donors are less valued than egg donors, contravening laws of
supply and demand because donor eggs are more available than suitable sperm donors. This study is part
of a growing set of studies about donations of blood and organs (Almeling).
Racial Composition
The sense of injustice abates for black and minority students who attend racially integrated high schools
(Hagan).
Importance of Networks
Social network models help identify the transmission of infectious diseases (Watts).
Knowing many kinds of people in different social contexts improves changes of getting jobs, feeling in
control of life and feeling healthy (Faust). Yet American's circle of close confidents has shrunk dramatically
over the past two decades (McPherson).
Strengthening Communities
Living in wired neighborhoods with access to high speed local networks encourages greater community
involvement. Members of these neighborhoods recognize and talk with 3 times as many neighbors and
those in communities without wiring (Hampton).
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Informing
Publics
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Research is a major activity, along with teaching, that results in the reproduction and
replenishment of sociology. As a result, the discipline is continuously able to answer new
questions about social processes, contexts, conditions, and transformations. Carrying
out this research often requires seeking grant support from a variety of institutional
funders.
Total Research and Development funding dollars for sociology from public and private
sources doubled in real dollars between 1990 and 2003. Although overall R&D funding
has declined somewhat since then, sociology was awarded over $370 million in 2005
compared to about $320 million each for economics and political science.
Total R&D Funding in Sociology Outpaces Economics and Political Science since Fiscal Year
1999 (in Thousands of Constant 2005 Dollars)
$408,279
$393,080
$367,382
$365,591
$336,847
$319,557
$340,578
$313,512
$307,270
$324,344
$308,754
$318,969
$295,037
$371,338
$334,388
$314,076
$303,668
$314,883
$303,886
Economics
$288,650
$286,353
$275,937
$257,642
Sociology
$260,086
Political Science &
Public Administration
$247,490
$226,461
$223,102
$222,119
$211,064
$210,803
$197,075
$193,939
$169,632
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Survey of Research and Development Expenditures at Universities
and Colleges (Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, 1992-2007), retrieved June 11, 2007 (http://caspar.nsf.gov).
Sociologists are recipients of grants to measure and analyze critical public issues
including assimilation, immigration, terrorism, work and family, child health, and to
train students to become researchers, analysts, and teachers in these topic areas. The
grants come from a wide range of government agencies, including the National Science
Foundation (NSF), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute of
Aging (NIA), as well as many private foundations.
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
R&D
Funding
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Sociologists have received numerous honorary awards from scientific institutions for
their work confronting new social trends, problems, and transformations. These awards
demonstrate that sociology is critical to scientific understanding and scientific policy. A
highly selective sampling of these awards is mentioned in the accompanying chart.
Recognition of Merit for Sociology
Sociologists have received honorary awards from scientific institutions for their work of continuously analyzing
social trends, problems, and transformations. Sociological knowledge is increasing recognized by policy
makers, funding agencies, and private and public officials as key to solving current social problems including
terrorism, natural disasters, pandemics, and the decline in civil society. These awards demonstrate that
sociology is critical to scientific understanding and scientific policy. Some of these awards include:
National Science Board, Alan T. Waterman Prize
Awarded to Dalton Conley in 2005. The National Science Foundation (NSF), the independent federal
agency that supports fundamental research across nearly all fields of science and engineering, recognized
Conley as one of the nation's top young scientists. The 35-year-old Conley received the 30th annual Alan T.
Waterman Award, named for NSF's first director that carries a $500,000 research award. Dr. Conley's work
is the epitome of the kind of research that NSF vigorously supports," said Arden L. Bement, Jr., NSF
director.
"His research is filled with new and untried ideas, carved into a creative path toward solving fundamental
questions of society. He communicates his findings directly and eloquently, reaches varied audiences, and
by so doing, opens new avenues of interest and study, not to mention he keeps government policy makers
on their toes."
National Academy of Sciences
In 2007, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) announced the election of sociologists Karen Cook for
her research on issues of trust in social relations and networks and James C. House for his work on social
structure and personality. These newly elected NAS members were recognized for their distinguished and
continuing achievements in original research. This brings the total number of active sociologists to over
twenty. Membership in the academy is considered one of the highest honors in American science.
American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAA&S)
In 2007, almost 80 were listed as Fellows of the Academy (Bulletin of the American Academy , Fall 2005).
Their interests ranged from the daily interactions to world systems. Their work focuses on processes from
scientific productivity to bureaucratic inertia, social networks to civic life, and segregation to social mobility. It
focuses on institutions including education, family, law, religion, and the economy. The 2007 Fellows in
sociology were Bruce Western for his work on punishment and inequality in America, David R. Williams for
his work on race discrimination and health, and Viviana Zelizer for her work on the interplay of economic
activity and personal ties.
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Over 80 sociologists have been appointed as Fellows. In 2005, Willie J. Pearson Jr. of the Georgia
Institute of Technology was appointed to a fellowship.
Association of American Publishers (AAP), Professional and Scholarly Division
Contexts: Understanding People in Their Social Worlds named best journal in the social sciences in
2003 and one of ten Best New Magazines of 2002" by the Library Journal. Contexts extends sociological
research to both social scientists and general audience readers.
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Merit
Awards
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
There were 1,650 positions listed for PhDs in the American Sociological Association’s
Job Bank in 2006, a more than 20% increase over 2005. This is the highest listing of
jobs over the last decade. Since 2003, the last year where listings declined to a low point,
the number of job listings appearing annually in ASA’s Employment Bulletin or our webbased job bank has increased steadily by 45%. These job announcements are a voluntary
listing of employers agreeing to post open positions either in print or, since 1995, online.
They show only that portion of the job market for sociologists with PhDs. Assistant
professors are the most frequently listed position.
Job Listings in ASA's Employment Bulletin and Job Bank, Calandar Years 1998 to 2006
(Total Number of Annual Job Listings)
1,650
1,523
1,363
1,341
1,278
1,262
1,245
1,141
1,097
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Source: American Sociological Association, Publications Department (Washington, DC: ASA, 2007).
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
2004
2005
2006
Job
Placement
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Sociologists work on important topics of concern in the "real world" inside and outside
the university upon completion of their degrees. They apply sociological concepts and
methods with them in a wide variety of industries and occupations. An average of 9 out
of 10 sociology PhDs under age 75 were in the labor force--that is, employed or looking
for work--between 1999 and 2003, the last year for which data were available from the
National Science Foundation. This rate is similar to the other social science disciplines.
Sociology Doct or at es Ar e Highly Likely To Be Employed in Their Field
(Percentage of Doctoral Recipients Employed, 1991-2003)
7.6
6.4
5.1
5.1
3.4
5.4
4.4
3.8
3.6
2.8
1.6
1.5
2.0
1.1
2.3
1.5
1.1
2.6
1.9
1.0
1.1
1.6
1.4
1.3
1991-1995
1991-1995 1997-2003
1991-1995 1997-2003
1991-1995 1997-2003
1991-1995 1997-2003
1991-1995 1997-2003
1997-2003 1991-1995
1997-2003 1991-1995
1997-2003 1991-1995
1997-2003 1991-1995
1997-2003
1997-2003 1991-1995
1991-1995 1997-2003
Biology & Life
Sciences
Physical Sciences
Psychology
Unemployment Rate
Economics
Political Sciences
Sociology
Involuntarily out-of-field rate
Note--NSF combined sociology with anthropology prior to 1997. 1991 data for political science in not available since it was combined with
the "other social sciences" in that year. The medical sciences were included as a life science in 1991 only.
Source: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates (Arlington, VA: NSF, 19932006), retrieved July 11, 2006 from WebCaspar (http://caspar.nsf.gov).
Since 1997, the vast majority of PhD sociologists in the labor force were employed and
working their field. Only 1.3 percent of sociologists were unemployed, and 4.4 percent
were working out-of-field. These figures are slightly higher than some social science
disciplines and slightly lower than others.
Sociology faculty members carry out sociology’s mission by teaching, doing research, and
administering programs. According to NCES estimates, in AY 2003/04 about 27.2
percent of sociology faculty were employed by research universities, with another 17.5
percent at doctoral institutions, 41.6 percent at master’s comprehensive institutions, and
13.8 percent at baccalaureate-only institutions. 1
1 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, NSOPF 2004 National Study
of Postsecondary Faculty (Washington, DC: NCES, 2007), retrieved June 15, 2007 with DAS-T Online
Version 5.0 (http://nces.ed.gov/dasolv2/tables/index.asp). See also our AY 2001/02 survey results on
baccalaureate and graduate programs in sociology available at http://www.enoah.net/asa/asashoponlineservice/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=ASAOE624R03.
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Labor
Force
Participation
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
In AY 2006/2007, the average salary of sociology faculty was $66,207 compared to the
average salary for anthropologists, political scientists, and psychologists that ranged
around $69,000. Economists had the highest average salaries at $86,294. The relatively
low salaries of sociologists can be explained partly by variation in the age composition of
the five disciplines. Despite these differences, sociologists appear to be underpaid.
Since AY 2000/2001, the average sociology faculty salary increased by almost $10,000,
or 16 percent, in current dollars (not controlling for inflation). When salaries are
controlled for inflation, there was an actual decrease of $114 dollars during this period.
Sociology saw an above inflation salary increase between AY 2005/2006 and AY
2006/2007. Despite this latest increase, sociology professors lost buying power in three
of the last seven academic years and had salary increases that just kept up with inflation
(.10 and .11 percent above the CPI) in two years. Aside from the 1.2 percent increase in
AY 2006/2007, the only other year with an above inflation increase for all ranks of
sociology faculty was AY 2001/2002.
Sociology Faculty Salaries Lower Than Faculty Salaries for Other Social and Behavioral Sciences in
Academic Years 2005/2006 and 2006/07 (Average Salaries of all Ranked Faculty in Current Dollars)
$86,294
$83,078
2005/06
2006/07
$69,605
$66,207
$65,840
$69,386
$66,530
$68,724
$66,109
$63,844
Sociology
Anthropology
Political Science
Psychology
Economics
Source: ASA tabulation from CUPA-HR, National Faculty Salary Survey , 2005/06 and 2006/07.
For more details of salary trends for sociology faculty, see our current salary research
brief. 2
2
Available at http://www.asanet.org/galleries/Research/SalaryRschBrief51807.pdf.
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Faculty
Salaries
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Faculty members in bachelor’s degree-granting departments in the U.S. teach nearly
50,000 undergraduate sociology courses in an academic year, or about 21 percent of all
social science courses. This proportion is comparable to other social science disciplines
such as political science and economics, although these disciplines tend to have more
faculty in their academic programs. On average, sociology programs require substantive
core courses, as well as, at least one course each in theory, research methodology, and
statistics, as part of the undergraduate curriculum.
Sociology Facult y Taught an Est imat ed 4 8 ,4 0 0 Cour ses at Four -Year Inst it ut ions in
Academic Year 2 0 0 3 / 0 4 (Percentage of Social Science Courses)
Sociology
21%
Political Science
22%
Other Social
Sciences
34%
Economics
23%
Source: US Department of Education, National Center of Education Statistics, NSOPF: 2004 National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty
(Washington, DC: NCES, 2006), retrieved July 28, 2006 with DAS-T Online Version 4.0 (http://nces.ed.gov/dasol/tables/index.asp).
Sociologists teach more courses per semester, on average, than economists,
psychologists and biological or physical scientists.
Sociology Facult y Taught M or e Cour ses Than All but One Discipline
(Mean Number of Courses Per Semester, AY 2003)
2.3
2.2
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.8
1.6
Biological
Sciences
Physical
Sciences
Economics
Political
Science
Psychology
Sociology
Other social
All
sciences
Disciplines
Source: US Department of Education, National Center of Education Statistics, NSOPF: 2004 National Survey of Postsecondary
Faculty (Washington, DC: NCES, 2006), retrieved July 28, 2006 with DAS-T Online Version 4.0
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Courses
Taught
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Since 1990, the number of baccalaureate degrees awarded in sociology has increased by
70 percent from about 16,000 to about 27,000. Unlike sociology during this same
period, economics has faced both declines and increases, but still has fewer graduates
than in 1990.
The number of master’s degrees has increased by about two-thirds.
The number of doctoral degrees awarded in sociology has increased steadily from 1990
through 2004 for an average of 470 per year in 1990-1991 to the current 598 in 20032004.
More information regarding trends in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees
awarded in sociology since 1930 can be found on our website. 3
Sociology Degrees Awarded Increase Since 1990
(Number of Degrees Awarded)
Year
Doctorates
Masters
Bachelor's
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
446
477
506
549
542
555
531
601
604
602
550
547
598
564
1,213
1,293
1,379
1,564
1,675
1,790
1,822
1,752
1,774
2,036
1,901
1,957
1,929
2,031
15,993
17,632
19,644
21,007
22,468
22,974
24,158
24,749
24,886
25,685
25,357
25,296
26,200
27,020
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
Completions, 1990-2004 (Washington, DC: NCES, 2006). Retrieved November
8, 2006 (http://caspar.nsf.gov).
3
Available at http://www.asanet.org/cs/root/leftnav/research_and_stats/research_index_page.
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Degrees
Earned
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Surveys show that sociology majors are inspired by the discipline’s mission, are strongly
attracted to sociological concepts, and picked sociology as an undergraduate major
because of their interest in sociological concepts. They are particularly interested in
those that explained relationships among institutions, processes, and individuals. If
these concepts are made exciting in their first sociology course, majoring becomes a
likely outcome. Few major in sociology for reasons of convenience. These top reasons for
majoring do not vary significantly by type of school.
Sociology M ajors Are Inspired by The Discipline's Concepts and M ission
(Percentage of Sociology Majors Responding, 2005)
Interesting Concepts
90.4%
Enjoyed First Course
74.4%
Understanding Social
Forces/Individuals
Relationships
63.7%
Help to Change Society
44.0%
Preparation in Various
Research Methods
Required Fewer Credit
Hours than Other Majors
Could Not Get Into Desired
Major
31.2%
7.3%
4.6%
Source: ASA, Research and Development Department, What Can I Do with a Bachelor's in Sociology? A National Survey
of Seniors Majoring in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2005).
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Reasoning
for Majoring
in Sociology
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Senior sociology majors rate their experience with sociology teachers and with the major
very highly. Almost two-thirds of majors are “very satisfied” with the quality of teaching;
two-thirds are very satisfied with their out-of-class access to these teachers, and 7 out of
10 are very satisfied with the major. Fewer than 3 percent report being not satisfied at
all with the major.
St r ong Sat isfact ion wit h t he Sociology M ajor , Teaching, and Access t o Facult y
(Percentage of Majors Very Satisfied or Not At All Satisfied)
70.0
67.1
63.7
2.9
2.0
Teaching Quality
Access to Faculty Outside of
Class
Very Satisfied
1.1
Overall Satisfaction with
Sociology Major
Not At All Satisfied
Source: American Sociological Association, What Can I Do with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology? A National
Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006).
Sociology majors often plan to apply what they earned in sociology to careers in
education, law, medicine, politics, public administration, social work, or business. More
than 70% of sociology majors plan to find a new job, and 45 percent intend to go on to
graduate school. This finding suggests that many sociology majors will both work and
obtain more education and training in the professions including law, the professoriate,
counseling, and a research science. 4
Sociology majors want to work in major social institutions. The largest percentage wants
to work in institutions that provide a wide variety of social services, law or criminal
justice, education, community development, or government.
Almost half of senior sociology majors have future educational plans.
See American Sociological Association, What Can I do with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology? A National
Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006), available at http://www.enoah.net/asa/asashoponlineservice/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=ASAOE628W06.
4
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Satisfaction
with the
Sociology
Major
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Sociologists have a strong positive identification with their field. More than 43 percent
of eligible members voted in the last (2007) ASA presidential election. The American
Sociological Association (ASA) the discipline’s professional society has the highest rate of
voter participation among disciplinary societies. According to election audit firms with
expertise on voting patterns in membership associations, voter participation above 20
percent is considered “very good” with turn-outs above 30 percent rare.
ASA Turn-Out Leads Similar Disciplinary Membership Associations in Recent Elections
(Percentage of Members Voting)
American Sociological
Association
48.0
American Political Science
Association
30.8
American Anthropological
Association
American Economics
Association
28.0
17.2
20% =
"Quite Good" (Association Election Experts)
Source: American Sociological Association, Goverance Department (Washington, DC: ASA, 2007).
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Identification
with The
Field
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Along with a strong disciplinary identification, sociologists work with members of other
disciplines to create scientific breakthroughs and solutions of social problems.
Expanding Sociology's Impact Through Interdisciplinary Studies
Sociologists work with members of other disciplines to create scientific breakthroughs and solutions of social
problems. Examples of such work can be found among the projects funded by the National Science
Foundation's innovative interdisciplinary Human and Social Dynamics initiative. A list of interdisciplinary grants
that include sociologists (in bold) follows.
Global State Formation
Christopher Chase-Dunn (University of California-Riverside), Peter Turchin, E. N. Anderson, Global State
Formation: Modeling the Rise, Fall, and Upward Sweeps of Large Polities in World History and the Global
Future . The PIs will develop three models of probable future paths for world integration based on the
historical patterns of networks between international governmental and nongovernmental organizations.
Social and Economic Effects of a National Disaster
Elizabeth Frankenberg (University of California-Los Angeles), Jed Friedman, Thomas Gillespie, Nicholas
Ingwersen, Bondan Sikoki, Cecep Sumantri, Wayan Suriastini, Duncan Thomas, Social and Economic
Effects of a National Disaster . The PIs seek to research the costs of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia and how
people cope with a disaster of this magnitude
Dissent and Repression in the Middle East
J. Craig Jenkins and Katherine Meyer (Ohio State University), Mary Ann Tetreault, Philip Schrodt, Jillian
Schwendler, Christian Davenport, Dissent and Repression in the Middle East . The PIs examine the types of
relationships between political dissent and repression to overcome the inconsistent results provided by
previous studies that neglect context, time, and space, conflicting perspectives, and the status of women.
Studies on the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Yoshinori Kamo (Louisiana State University), Tammy L. Henderson, Karen A. Roberto, Aging Families in
the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina . The PIs interview aging families living in Baton Rouge who are
recovering from Hurricane Katrina to advance the literature concerning the functioning of aging families in
the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Verna Keith (Florida State University), C. Airriess, A.C. Chen, W. Li, K. Leong, S. Russaini, The Aftermath
of Katrina: Differential Responses to Trauma among African and Vietnamese Americans in One New
Orleans Community . The PIs studied the spatial, socioeconomic, and psychological effects on two resourcepoor groups of evacuees. They found that lack of resources, emotional and financial support, and linguistic
isolation increase the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Tricia Wachtendorf (University of Delaware), José Holguín-Veras, Noel Pérez, Satish Ukkusuri, Bethany
Brown, Characterization of the Supply Chains in the Aftermath of Katrina: Logistical Issues and Lessons
from an Integrated Social Sciences-Engineering Perspective . The PIs identified three broad issues that led
to the logistical challenges resulting from Hurricane Katrina: initial impact on the system, institutional impact,
and logistical impact. The PIs are developing models to make recommendations concerning national
response to future extreme events.
Infrastructure Change, Human Agency, and Social Ecological Systems
Stephen Perz (University of Florida), Grenville Barnes, Graeme Cumming, Jane Southworth, Infrastructure
Change, Human Agency, and Resilience in Social Ecological Systems . The PIs studied the impact of new
infrastructure on the social-ecological resilience of complex systems and on human resource and livelihood
decisions in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru in order to develop more complete frameworks of human agency and
environmental change.
Globalization of Innovation, Migration, and Human Capital Development
Hal Salzman (Urban Institute), Beatiz Clewell, Leonard Lynn, Carlos Acosta, Robert Lerman, B. Lindsay
Lowell, Pamela Meil, Globalization of Innovation, Migration, and Systems of Human Capital Development .
The PIs examined the new "third generation" stage of globalization in which multinational corporations move
high-level knowledge employment to emerging economies. They focus on the effects of this change on
specific countries, especially for migration flows, changes in education capacity, and shifts in science and
engineering work.
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Interdisciplinary
Studies
American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department
Almeling, Rene. 2007. “Selling Genes, Selling Gender: Egg Agencies, Sperm Banks, and
the Medical Market in Genetic Material.” American Sociological Review 72
(June):319-340.
Bianchi, Suzanne M., John P. Robinson, and Melissa A. Milkie. 2006. Changing
Rhythms of American Family Life. NY: Russell Sage Foundation.
Brint, Steven, Mary F. Contreras and Michael T. Matthews. 2001. “Socialization
Messages in Primary Schools: An Organizational Analysis.” Sociology of Education
74 (July):157-180.
Burstein, Paul. 2003. “Is Congress Really for Sale?” Contexts 2 (3):19-25.
Entwisle, Barbara, Katherine Faust, Ronald R. Rindfuss, and Toshiko Kaneda. 2007
(forthcoming). “Networks and Contexts: Variation in the structure of social ties.”
American Journal of Sociology.
Frech, Adrianne and Kristi Williams. 2007. “Depression and the Psychological Benefits
of Entering Marriage.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 48 (June):149-163.
Hagen, John, Carla Shedd and Monique R. Payne. 2005. “Race, Ethnicity, and Youth
Perceptions of Criminal Justice.” American Sociological Review 70 (June):381-407.
Hampton, Keith and Barry Wellman. 2000. “Cyberspace and Everday Life.” Presented
at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, August 12,
Washington, DC.
McPherson, Miller, Lynn Smith-Lovin, and Matthew E. Brashears. 2006. “Social
Isolation in America: Changes in Core Discussion Networks over Two Decades.”
American Sociological Review 71 (June):353-375.
Roxborough, Ian. 2007. “Counterinsurgency.” Contexts 6 (2):15-21.
Watts, Duncan. 2005. “Why Are Epidemics So Unpredictable?” presented at a
Congressional Briefing titled Six Degrees of Separation: Using Social Network
Research to Inform Public Health and National Security, June 10, Washington, DC.
Wrigley, Julia and Joanna Dreby. 2005. “Fatalities and the Organization of Childcare.”
American Sociological Review 70 (October):729-757.
The Health of Sociology: Statistical Fact Sheets, 2007
Works
Cited